‘Roseanne’ Canceled After Roseanne Barr’s Racist Tweets
ABC has canceled Roseanne following a string of racially insensitive tweets from series star Roseanne Barr, the network announced on Tuesday (May 29). The sitcom, which premiered its first revival season in March, was set to air a 13-episode eleventh season this fall.
“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said in a statement, per Variety.
Series co-star Sara Gilbert, who plays Roseanne's daughter Darlene, also condemned Barr's remarks.
"Roseanne’s recent comments about Valerie Jarrett, and so much more, are abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show. I am disappointed in her actions to say the least," she tweeted. "This is incredibly sad and difficult for all of us, as we’ve created a show that we believe in, are proud of, and that audiences love— one that is separate and apart from the opinions and words of one cast member."
The news comes mere hours after Barr tweeted a comment about former President Obama White House adviser Valerie Jarett, an African-American woman born in Iran to American parents, that prompted users to call for ABC to fire Barr and suspend Roseanne's production.
"Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj,” Barr wrote in a since-deleted tweet, responding to an online claim that Obama spied on French presidential candidates and a social media user who accused Jarrett of helping him "hide a lot."
When another user inquired if @RacismDog, a Twitter account that calls out racist comments, had seen what Barr said, she responded, "Muslims r NOT a race."
Following a wave of backlash, however, Barr apologized and said she would be leaving Twitter.
"I apologize. I am now leaving Twitter," she wrote. "I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks. I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste."
The cancellation also comes after Wanda Sykes, who served as a consulting producer, announced via Twitter on Tuesday that she would not be returning for the revival's second season. Earlier in May, Whitney Cummings, revealed she, too, would be leaving her role as co-showrunner.
"Working on Roseanne was a surreal, incredible experience," she wrote at the time. "Due to work commitments and my tour schedule, I'm gonna have to watch the Conner's from the sidelines next season."